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Beauty and The Grid

December 20, 2010 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

When Amy was about 12, we had the opportunity to see Beauty and the Beast (the stage show) at the Music Center in Los Angeles. (At that time, Lucy was only 2, but that's not important right now.)

I remember the show being so breathtakingly beautiful. And I remember my surprise that the Disney animated film could translate so perfectly to the stage.

As the years passed, it turns out that My Lucy loved Beauty and the Beast. She could always relate more to Belle, the plucky, well-read heroine than to any of the other save-me-from-my-sad-life-and-take-me-to-your-castle Disney princesses.

It was around Lucy's adolescence that Disney locked Beauty away in The Vault. And it was only this year that the dvd and the stage show were resurrected.

At Christmastime, it's become our tradition to do a Girls At The Theater Night. Read about that here and here. Beauty and the Beast came to our local venue, The Orange County Performing Arts Center in November.

But we were crazy-busy in November.

Amy Kikita: "Mom, we have to take Lucy to Beauty and the Beast. Make it happen."

Me: "Aaah! We're going on a cruise, it's Thanksgiving, she's leaving for a week, she has school until really late, umm…Excuse #263…. FINE."

Beauty and the beast

Here we are at the Center with the stage (see the Rose?) behind us.

Obviously we pulled it off, but it was November. And it seemed anti-climactic to have already been to the theater so far before Christmas. (I'm one of those people who waits to decorate my home for Christmas until about mid-December, that explanation can be found here.)

Lucy was beyond satisfied and deliriously happy that we finally saw the stage production of Beauty and the Beast. The show was just as wonderful as I remembered. (Win!)

Me & girls

So last week, I was invited to the premiere of the film, Tron:Legacy. It was playing at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.

Tron marquee

My first thought was that for sure the boys would love it….but I didn't count on Lucy to be as excited to see it as well.

But, I was very mistaken.

First, it was already appealing because it involved a Road Trip to Hollywood.

Hollywood Blvd.

Always fun, but much more so during the holidays with all the glitzy, you're-on-Hollywood-Blvd.-star decorations.

Hollywood Blvd.

And of course, you never know who or what you will encounter on the Walk of Fame.

Jon & Marilyn

Jon and his new friend, Marilyn. 😉

Donald duck star

"The Duck has a star. Who knew?"

And so it was that we (Eric, Lucy and Jonathan and I) got to experience the Uber-Geeky Awesomeness that is Tron:Legacy in 3D.

3d glasses

It was so much fun because:

  1. Eric and I were both already old-school-1982-Tron fans, so it's always cool to get to share that sort of thing with the kids.
  2. Jeff Bridges. (Hello…?)
  3. We happen to enjoy the show Chuck, in which uber-nerd main character Chuck has a classic Tron poster on his wall. They were finally able to relate to it. =D

Tron poster

Lucy and Jon prepare to Enter The Grid of Awesomeness.

Jon & Lucy

It makes me happy to know that my very feminine Girly-girl can also hold her own with the Uber-Geeks.

(The apple does not fall far….)

The movie, by the way, was phenomenal in every way. The modern story stands alone while providing just enough nostalgia to keep us old-timers satisfied.  And did I mention Jeff Bridges? (Hello…?)

You might also like:

For the love of Belle – Beauty and the Beast in 3D We Did the Conga at the Hollywood Bowl. Thank you, Gloria. The Circle of Life – Lion King 3D and Eternal Disney Uber-geeks What’s Important Right Now – October

Filed Under: Celebrate, Cuban Christmas, Disney, Entertainment, Film, Lifestyle, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Beauty and the Beast, Cuban thanksgiving, Disney, El Capitan Theater, entertainment, Hollywood, Hollywood Blvd-, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Jeff Bridges, OCPAC, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Thanksgiving, Tron, Tron:Legacy

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Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @will Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @willychirino por sus cumpleaños! 🎂LA friends: Don’t miss Willy at the Downey theatre on May 8th and 9th, 2026! Come celebrate with us! 🎉See you there! Ey-o Ey-o! 🕺🏼💃🏻#willychirino
In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cheri In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cherished rituals that bring us comfort and provide great joy. 🇨🇺☕️Also, I really need the jolt of caffeine💥 but that’s not important right now.😉@cafelallave#thedrinkofmypeople🇨🇺☕️ #cafecubano #cafecito #cafelallave #itsacubanthing
🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!!Get ready to meet all of 🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!!Get ready to meet all of the local like-minded Cubans who are ready to celebrate the death of communism on our beloved island! 🇨🇺We’ll be meeting at the Federal Building in Westwood.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
From 10 am to 12 pm.Bring your family and friends, your cazuelas y pitos, and of course ALL your Cubanity!
Porque nuestro día YA LLEGÓ!!! 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺
Ahora si se está formando! Come be a part of the celebration of history being made! 🙏🏼🇨🇺🎉❤️
After 67 years, they’re finally listening to us and we deserve to be heard.
Also, we deserve to PARTY!! 🎉In memory of our beloved Ziva Sahl, Fernando Marquez, Delia & Miguel Abascal and all our beloved dear ones who waited rather impatiently for this day. 🙏🏼🥰Que viva Cuba Libre!! 🇨🇺❤️
I’ll see you there!!🇨🇺🥰#patriayvida
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Today I’m O’Cuban. But my mom used to say I was “sinvergüenza.”
It tracks. 🙄Sláinte! 🍻😉#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎
My family left Cuba in early 1961.My brother was My family left Cuba in early 1961.My brother was on the first Pedro Pan flight in December of 1960. Happily, my family was only separated for a few very tense months. But we were part of the lucky few who managed to leave the country rather quickly.Once reunited, my father vowed we’d never be separated again and so when my older sisters were to be married in California, he packed up the family and we never looked back.We lived in Miami for the first 3 years of our exile, before my parents moved us across the country, and so we made our lives in Southern California.As Cubans in California – “en el exilio del exilio” – we managed to find other Cuban families and connected with the familiar community of people who spoke our language and recognized our customs and our food.I’ve told the story of my family’s exile many times using whatever words the Lord sees fit to give my feeble brain.Tonight, I’m a white haired 70 year old grandmother (call me Wella😉) living in Southern California with the family my husband and I have created.My parents passed away years ago. (And I unabashedly miss them daily💔).What’s happening tonight (on the island that saw me born) is that the people have taken to the streets armed with nothing but pots and pans and have been banging them for 12 hours as of this writing, calling for “Libertad!”Who could believe we would actually see this day?
Who can sleep when freedom is so close you can taste it?Praying for the brave people of Cuba. May liberation come quickly! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼Also, I’m shining up my own pots and pans. It’s almost time.
There are just no words for this moment.
This is OUR Berlin Wall moment and the cracks are already stating to show.#patriayvida
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Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @ Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @willychirino …“Nuestro día ya viene llegando.”May God be with the Cuban people as the hour draws near.
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At this point, I feel like this is an important pu At this point, I feel like this is an important public service announcement.
Write it down. ✍🏼
🗣️Repeat it.
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Ya tu sabes. 😘#ohthecubanity🇨🇺
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Coffee Day! ☕️Make mine @cafelallave!Also, I’m celebrating 19 Years in the Blogosphere today! Woohoo!!🥳Please join me over on my blog for all the *“RELAJO!” 🎉💃🏻*(That’s Cuban for BIG FUN.)https://bit.ly/4gUtFqv
Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Mart Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Marta? 🌎 👀I’ve been so super obviously absent from all my socials, let alone my blog itself.
For a while there, I was overwhelmed by the once easy task of documenting my day-to-day life.Everywhere I looked, people moved on to high production video and I was hopelessly lost, so I put writing on the shelf and happily got caught up on all the seasons I’ve missed from the Great British Baking Show.But then, as I often say, “life is in session,” and my life was accumulating entire chapters before I could even type, “Oh, the Cubanity!”Which brings us to today. I’m starting to dip my toe back into writing online. Mostly, I miss the writing and telling about my extraordinarily ordinary life and the daily happenings at Casa de la Loma.So, tell me: Do you have any questions for me as I get back into the over-sharing of my days? 👀#mybigfatcubanfamily #belikemarta #callmewella #mbfcf
Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️#cafe Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️#cafecubano☕️
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I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These C I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These Classic Cuban Crema de Vie printable labels designed by the lovely and talented @lucyruthdarby // I also share the recipe for our amazing Cuban egg nog. // 🇨🇺❤️ Merry Christmas, my friends.🎄 #itsacubanthing
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